Today, 60th anniversary of first nuclear explosion

ApTyp · Post by **ApTyp** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 2:14 pm

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Almost exactly 60 years ago, the boffins at DoD have set off the world's first nuclear explosion in recorded history.


At 05:29:45 local time (<a title="War Time" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Time">Mountain War Time</a>), the device exploded with an energy equivalent to 19 <a title="Kiloton" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiloton">kilotons</a> of TNT (87.5 <a title="Joule" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joule">TJ</a>).
It left crater in the desert 3 metres deep and 330 metres wide. At the
time of detonation, the surrounding mountains were illuminated for one
to two seconds. The observed colors of the illumination ranged from
purple, to green, and eventually to white. The roar of the <a title="Shock wave" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock_wave">shock wave</a> took 40 seconds to reach the observers. The shock wave was felt over 160 km away, and the <a title="Mushroom cloud" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushroom_cloud">mushroom cloud</a> reached 12 km.

VasikkA · Post by **VasikkA** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 4:53 pm

"If the radiance of a thousand suns
Were to burst at once into the sky,
That would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...
I am become Death,
The shatterer of Worlds."

The Bhagavad-Gita

Behold! The beauty of man-made destruction.

Spazmo · Post by **Spazmo** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 4:56 pm

TRINITY TEST TRIVIA!

Richard P. Feynman, of of my favourite people in history, was the only person to actually view the explosion with his naked eyes. Everyone else wore big heavy goggles to avoid eye damage while in the bunkers, but Feynman reasoned that the windshield of a truck would prevent any damage without obstructing the view, so he watched the detonation from the cab of an Army truck. And he was right, he was fine, and it was kickass.

In conclusion, Feynman rules.

ApTyp · Post by **ApTyp** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 5:06 pm

In conclusion, Feynman had eye cancer?

Koki · Post by **Koki** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 6:35 pm

ATOM BOMB TRIVIA!

Energy emited by average atom bomb could be used to create about 1g of matter, according to the ol' Einstein's E=mc^2 rule.

vendetta · Post by **vendetta** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 2:49 am

KOKI'S MEASUREMENTS CHECK FOR THIS BOMB TRIVIA!

E = mc^2

According to Aptyp's measurements of teh first atomic bomb:

E = 87,5 TJ

1 TJ = 1012 J = 1012 kg * m^2 / s^2
Speed of light: 299 792 458 m/s

Therefore:

E = mc^2

m = E / c^2
m = (87,5 TJ * 1012 J) / (299 792 458 m/s)^2
m = 9,85 * 10^-13 kg
m = 9,85 * 10^-10 grams

Conclusion: Atom bombs have become a heck more strong since then.

Am I not almighty!

No need to thank me.

ApTyp · Post by **ApTyp** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 2:50 am

I quoted Wikipedia, you pinko!

vendetta · Post by **vendetta** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 3:47 am

I know.. good for you.

Koki · Post by **Koki** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 6:46 am

I quoted some geeky book.

Stevie D · Post by **Stevie D** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 11:55 am

Spazmo wrote:Feynman reasoned that the windshield of a truck would prevent any damage without obstructing the view, so he watched the detonation from the cab of an Army truck. And he was right, he was fine, and it was kickass.

In conclusion, Feynman rules.

Presumably he looked away for the flash and turned around once that had died down.

Blargh · Post by **Blargh** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 12:54 pm

They tried the 'turn away and you'll be okay' approach with the atomic bomb tests in Australia during the fifties. Now most are dead, mostly from cancer(s). A Grade Fun !

VasikkA · Post by **VasikkA** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 1:02 pm

Apparently, you survived.

Blargh · Post by **Blargh** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 2:56 pm

A pity I do not count myself amongst 'they'. Neither should you.

Thank you for taking such a literal, riddled interpretation, Vas.

Spazmo · Post by **Spazmo** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 3:07 pm

Stevie D wrote:Presumably he looked away for the flash and turned around once that had died down.

I think I recall him mentioning having to dive down under the seat when the flash came. It's all in You Must Be Joking, Mr. Feynman.

Stevie D · Post by **Stevie D** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:50 am

One thing I want to do before I die is see a nuke go off. Perhaps I could combine the two.

VasikkA · Post by **VasikkA** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 12:08 pm

Too bad it's not the 1950's anymore nor you live in North Korea. Wishful thinking.

By the way, I searched for some nuclear test images on the interweb. They make for nice screensaver.

link link link

Octotron · Post by **Octotron** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 7:16 pm

There is an interesting 12ft monument at the site.

obelisk

sign

ApTyp · Post by **ApTyp** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 8:04 pm

I remember a site dealing in chemical supplies, firework components, radioactive materials, and magnets. They had some Trinitite (glass from desert sand melted by the Trinity test explosion).